The Dirty Dozen
by luckyk1990
Summary: The world is ending. Gotham is no more. There is no Batman. Oa has fallen. There are no Green Lanterns Only a few members of the Justice League remain. But all is not lost, as the most unlikely group of heroes stand in its way.
1. Chapter 1

_ Violetta, it's been six years since you were bought into the world. You will probably never meet me, your adopted family giving you all the love that I cannot. I would not blame you if you never asked about your father._

_ Nevertheless I want you to know, that since you were born I have never stopped thinking about you. I wonder if you got my brains,and how you are doing at school. I wish I could see you, I know what I am but know that I would never scare you, I would never hurt you, my dearest child._

_ I know I have made mistakes in my life. Hell, I'm a monster, even I find it hard to believe that I am human. I've committed heinous crimes, I've murdered, I've driven people insane, I've stolen more than I have earned. So many mistakes my little flower, but please believe me when I say being your father was not one of them._

_ I apologize for everything that I have done, maybe if I was someone else we could be father and daughter. I could be the man who made you laugh for hours, dry your tears when you are sad, tell you bed time stories, and give you away on your wedding day. You would never need to be scared of me, even now you are the only person in this world who has nothing to fear from me. I should know._

_ Perhaps one day we will meet. I would like that, but I understand why this can't happen. It's my fault. I know and accept this, and I wish things could have been different. I wish I had been born in another time, I wish I had met your mother in better circumstances, I wish you hadn't been taken from my arms just minutes after you were born. I wish I was someone else._

_ Just know that what I am is just a mask, and I will always love you, no mask will ever change that. My beautiful little flower._

_Love Always_

_Dad_

Aaron Cash frowned as he glanced over the inmates in Arkham Asylums recreation room. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall trying to get a better view of what he thought he saw.

Jonathan Crane was writing something, which was unusual. This time was normally reserved for outside correspondence. No-one visited the Scarecrow, save his lawyer, and Cash knew of no living relatives either.

Crane saw him looking, started a little in surprise, then checked himself and glowered menacingly. Cash averted his eyes quickly, he wasn't afraid of the inmate, with his slender, willow-like figure, Crane was hardly a match for him. But there was something about that baleful stare that was a little unnerving.

When Cash looked back again Crane was reading a newspaper, no sign of a letter, and Cash wondered whether he had imagined it, Crane was fond of the Sudoku, and Cash concluded that he must have been on the puzzle page.

When his rest break came around Aaron Cash was thankful. It had been a slow day at the asylum and the inmates had been remarkably well behaved. This in itself was both a blessing and a curse, as a lack of action made the day go slower for Cash.

The Arkham staff room was empty except for Clarissa Davey one of the senior doctors. Aaron greeted her with a cheery wave and made his way over to the coffee machine. He searched in vain for a clean cup, and failing to find one settled for the least stained one of them all.

"Hey Clarissa," Cash grinned. "Just been stared out by your favourite patient."

Clarissa laughed. "He's better than he was," her eyes crinkled slightly at the sides when she laughed. Not much got her down. "At least he's stopped trying to conduct the sessions now, I think he's finally worked out that he's the patient, not me."

"It's a start," Cash chuckled. "Real head case that one. Fear... why can't he be obsessed with something nice... like puppies?"

"If he was I'd be out of a job," Clarissa pointed out. "But yeah he's a head case alright, just have to find out what makes him tick now. Easier said than done, he's not easy to trick, and he's impossible to intimidate an answer out of as well. It's like he's just flicked off his fear switch."

"I made him jump this morning," Cash said absent-mindedly.

Clarissa's face suddenly became very serious. "You startled him?"

"He certainly looked spooked for a second, why?"

"He never so much as flinches normally. You could set an explosion off behind him and he wouldn't so much as twitch. You must have really caught him off guard."

"It looked like he was writing a letter for a minute. I thought it might have been one of the newspaper puzzles he likes, but now you say that I'm not so sure."

Clarissa pushed her glasses up her nose. "Interesting, I may confront him about this at his next session, it may break down some barriers. Thanks Aaron."

Cash opened the door to head back out to work. "Your welcome."

The light glinted off of Edward Nigma's binoculars as he lay prone on his belly on top of a block of flats.

Just across the street was a jewellery store, and Nigma had spent the last week camped out on the rooftop as a pre crime reconnaissance mission.

There was a Rolex display at the rear of the store that Eddie could make a killing on, even give up a life of crime for good, of course he had laughed at that thought. The thrill of the chase was like a drug, and Eddie was too far gone for rehab.

The snatch and grab would not have required the pain staking hours of watching the stores comings and goings, indeed Eddie's above average intelligence had already given him fourty different ways that he could empty the store and noone would ever know that it was him. But that wasn't it. It simply wasn't a Riddler crime without a riddle, what would be the point of it if he could not match wits with Batman.

Eddie had money, it was never about the money. For once he wanted to create a Riddle of such genius that even the Dark Knight would be fooled. An IQ of 180 just wasn't enough for him, there was only one person worthy of impressing.

Eddie was mulling this over in his mind, when he heard footsteps close by. He cursed to himself, he had paid a substantial lump sum to the hotel receptionist downstairs to lock the roof access door behind him. He would find his own way down. How could someone else be up here?

Instinctively he reached for his pistol, just as a tall shadow fell over him. And a wheezing, cackling laugh echoed off the walls around him.

"Eddie," the Joker cackled. "Fancy seeing you up here!"

Eddie's mouth was suddenly dry. He snatched the pistol out of the waistband of his trousers, rolled onto his back and pointed the barrel into the centre of the Joker's leering grin. His hands shook but his expression was stone cold. He narrowed his eyes, teeth gritted. "You."

The Joker shrieked with maniacal laughter, his body contorting grotesquely. He was ridiculous, but somehow that made him all the more intimidating. Once the uncontrollable laughter died down to dry wheezes, the Joker straightened up, and took a step towards Eddie.

The effect was electric, Eddie's hands stopped shaking and he brandished the gun dangerously. "Don't. Come. Another. Step." he snarled.

"Now is that any way to greet an old friend, Dear Edward?" The Joker grinned grotesquely.

Eddie did not budge, just merely kept the gun steadily trained on the Joker. "We are not friends."

Once again the Joker laughed maniacally. "Oh, Eddie, Eddie, you wound me, after all that I've done for you!" he wiped away a mock tear. "Why I even gave you my special gift!"

One of Eddie's hands went involuntarily to one of the scars on his face, the memory rising unbidden of the grin the Joker had carved into his cheeks. The marks had faded, but the memories were all too fresh.

Eddie was unnerved. He steeled himself, but he could not stop the higher pitch in his voice as he yelled, "What do you want!" at the Joker.

The clown prince of crimes grin dispersed in an instant, only to be replaced with a fearsome leer. "Wouldn't you like to know, Riddle Boy."

With that he turned on his heel and stalked away. By the time Eddie had recovered his wits, the Joker was gone. On the ground where he had been was a single card.

Biting his lip, Eddie picked it up, expecting to see the usual Joker calling card, but instead he was surprised to see a Tarot card.

And it was death.


	2. Chapter 2

**Justice league watchtower 10.45 pm pacific time:**

The watchtower was almost empty. Almost. Bruce Wayne or Batman as he was better known was only happy when the watchtower was completely empty, save for him. Brooding was much better in solitude. But with Barry "Flash" Allen by your side it was difficult for Batman to brood at all, and this annoyed him immensely.

Flash was fast. Not just with his running, but his speech as well, and his incessant jabbering made Batman grind his teeth in irritation. Of course perception was not Barry's strong point, and he was totally oblivious of Batman's subtle hints that his company wasn't particularly appreciated.

"And... I was like ow... I mean I heal fast... 2 weeks is fast for a broken bone right... it's just that's like... what... centuries for me!... I'm going insane here... am I twitching Bruce... I always twitch when I'm bored... do you do that... I know I do... I mean I remember this one time... right..." Barry wasn't just twitching, he was literally vibrating, and he was jabbering faster and faster by the second. He was sat to the left of the watchtower console, his right leg in a cast propped up on a second chair, his hair crackled a little with static.

"You could take a nap," Bruce hinted, staring pointedly. "I've heard things heal better in your sleep."

"Nah... I can only sleep for ten minutes tops... that's like a full eight hours for a Flash... so like I was saying..." Bruce took a slow deep breath, and exhaled through his nose. It was only two weeks he told himself, then he would be back in his blessed solitude, just him and the magnitude of space. He loved Barry dearly, but in small doses... very small doses.

"Hey... Hey... Bats... you see that?" Bruce had been tuning his jabbering companion out for a few minutes, but the Flash was now on the edge of his seat squinting at the map on the console screen.

"See what?" Bruce asked. Wandering over to his companion, who now given something to do had finally stopped vibrating.

Barry pointed to the very centre of the map. "Correct me if I'm wrong Bruce, but that empty space right there... wasn't that Oa?"

**Two days earlier Oa seat of the guardians of the universe and home to the Green Lantern Corps:**

Guy Gardner hissed as Kilowog pulled the fragment of glass out of his bicep. "Ow, careful ya big lug!" he snapped.

Tora Olaffsdotter folded her arms across her chest. This was not how she had envisaged her visit to Oa ending. With Guy starting a fight... actually that was a lie. It was exactly how she envisaged her trip ending. "Guy don't be such a baby," she scolded. "You just have to let things get out of hand don't you. There was no need to break a bar stool over that man's head."

Guy flinched as Kilowog unsympathetically scrubbed at the wound with a damp cloth. "I was defending your honour babe. He made a lewd comment about you."

Kilowog snorted with laughter, and the corner of Tora's mouth twitched. "Ain't he just the sweetest," Kilowog grinned. Guy cuffed him around the back of the head.

"And you _never _make lewd comments Mr. Gardner?" Tora raised her eyebrow. "I am sure I recall your response to my pregnancy was 'there's plenty more where that came from'."

Guy laughed. "Ok you got me," he clapped Kilowog on the back. "A little Gardner 'Wog. Think of that and tremble. Of course if she takes after her mother I'm not sure I could handle it... she'll be unspeakably beautiful... I'll spend my twilight years vetting boyfriends."

"How do you know it'll be a girl?" Tora asked, blushing a little.

"Because I said so," Guy puffed himself up a little. "Nature dare not argue with Guy Gardner."

Later on that evening, Guy and Tora stood on the balcony of Guy's apartment. Watching the stars over head, and the green streaks that announced the comings and goings of hundreds of Green Lanterns. Tora leaned into Guy and rested her head on his shoulder. "I wish I didn't have to go back, tomorrow," she sighed.

"Me too," Guy rested his chin on the top of her head. "I've missed you Tora. It's been nice to have you here."

"Will you come back with me?" She looked up at him. "It's been a year since you've returned to Earth."

"Tora..." Guy started. "I've got duties here... responsibilities... I can't. As much as I want to."

Tora pulled away from him. "Duties?" she said incredulously. "Responsibilities?" She grabbed his hand and placed it on her abdomen. "What could be a greater responsibility than this?" She glared at him, defiant, daring him to say otherwise.

Guy swallowed. "Well... I'm due some shore leave..."

Tora's face brightened. The baby had it's father wrapped around it's little finger already.

**Now- The Watchtower**

"Computer, enlarge centre of the star map," Batman commanded the computer, however the image was no different. Oa was gone. "I'll be damned."

The two heroes jumped as a comm link opened up revealing the face of John Stewart, the current Green Lantern of Earth. "GL to watchtower, we've got a problem."

"Go ahead, John," Batman turned to John's image. The Green Lantern's uniform was gone, he was stood in a plain white t-shirt and jeans. He spread his arms. "Doesn't really need any explanation does it. My ring is dead. I was hoping you could shed some light."

Flash and Batman exchanged glances. "We were hoping you might have some ideas, Oa has disappeared from our map. Now you're telling us this I think this is a but more than a computer glitch. Sit tight John, we'll get to the bottom of this."

John's image flickered off of the screen. Flash stared at Bruce, his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline. "Right, this is crazy even for us, right?"

Bruce said nothing. He stood up and pulled his cowl over his face. "I'm heading back down to Earth, Barry." he wandered over to the teleporter. "This is big. Really big I can feel it. Keep an eye on the monitor, keep me informed of any developments."

"Got it."

**Now Coast City Earth**

Guy was pacing up and down the front room, Tora watching him curiously. There was not much that could be said, the Green Lantern ring was dead. Guy had the phone glued to his right ear, listening to John Stewart on the other end, his face a little too pale.

"Guy, calm down, seriously. We're never gonna get to the bottom of this if we start panicking," John said. "I've already been onto the watchtower, the league knows, we just need to get ourselves together and think logically."

Guy took a deep breath. "Ok, Ok, I'm calm, I'm calm," he collapsed onto the sofa next to Tora. "What did Bat's say?"

"He said that Oa has disappeared."

"What?"

"That's what he said, don't shoot the messenger."

"But it can't be gone! Tora and I were there just two days ago..."

"Well it would explain a lot, Guy. Look buddy, just sit tight OK. Think of it like extended shore leave."

"But what about everyone on Oa?"

"In our position there's not a lot we can do about it Guy, without our rings we're just a couple of ordinary men with a lot of guts."

"OK," Guy sighed. "Just let me know if you here anything."

"You'll be the first to know, Guy. I promise."

Guy dropped the phone, and buried his face in his hands. Tora put a hand on his shoulder. "Guy?"

"Oa's gone, Tora," Guy groaned into his hands. "I don't know what's happened to everyone I've left behind, and there's nothing I can do about it. If Oa can just go off the grid like that, what's to say Earth isn't next?"

Tora grasped his face, bringing him to his senses. "Guy Gardner, ring or no ring you are a Green Lantern. Earth is still under your protection. If it next is you'll just have to do whatever it was that made that ring choose you in the first place. And you forget..." the room suddenly became very cold, and Guy's breath fogged in Tora's presence. "Your not the only hero in this room."


	3. Chapter 3

Arkham Asylum's recreational room was far more quiet than usual. Most of the patients were watching the news report on the small television at the far end of the room, all the television had spoken of for days was the disappearance of Oa the green lantern homeworld.

Jervis Tetch snorted with laughter. "Well that makes things easier for us, huh?" he grinned at Jonathan Crane. "Alice says the green lanterns are no more!" The blond television presenter was in fact called Louise, but Jonathan didn't have the energy to argue with the Mad Hatter. "The world's ours for the taking! Alice said so."

"Whatever," Jonathan mumbled. "Batman mean anything to you?"

"Twinkle, Twinkle little bat..." the Hatter began to chant in a sing-song voice, his hands waving above his head in a flapping motion that to Jonathan looked nothing like a bat.

Jonathan ground his teeth in annoyance, and laid his head back down on his folded arms. It had been over twenty four hours since he had eaten anything, but despite that he still wasn't hungry, he just didn't feel like eating.

Aaron Cash had been paying an unusual amount of attention to him recently as well, which made Jonathan uncomfortable. He was a private man at the best of times, and having people worry over him grated on his nerves, but this wasn't what was bothering him. Cash had seen him writing the letter... what if they found out... would they track her down, would they make her visit him, use her as some kind of therapy for him?

No he couldn't bear to think of it, he'd rather she never met him at all. It was better this way, she could have a normal life. He wasn't even sure why he had written the letter in the first place? Out of guilt? No he was doing the right thing by her, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Crane?" a deep voice echoed over the recreational room.

Crane looked up to see someone standing in the door of the room. "Dr. Monroe?" Crane had only seen Dr. Monroe a few times, yet it was difficult not to recognise him. The man must have been at least six foot three, and half as wide. He stood several inches over Jonathan, however the smaller man was not intimidated.

"Come with me, Crane. Now."

Jonathan stood reluctantly, he knew what this was going to be about straight away. Slowly he shuffled through the door after the enormous doctor, flanked by two expressionless guards.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Doctor?" Jonathan asked sweetly, allowing a little of his Scarecrow menace to his voice.

"Mr. Cash tells me you won't eat your meals," Monroe looked at him pointedly.

"I'm not hungry," snapped Jonathan. "You can't make me eat."

"Actually we can Jonathan, and I assure you it won't be pleasant for you if we do."

Jonathan paused and stared straight at the Doctor. "But I'm giving Gotham what it wants aren't I... they were all calling for my death last year if you recall."

Monroe sighed. Scarecrow was a clever bastard that was for sure, Monroe personally would have let the freak starve himself to death, but that meant a whole lot of paperwork. Work he could do without. "Onto my next question then Jonathan, follow me."

Jonathan's curiosity got the better of him and he followed the Doctor to the nearest staff office. Monroe gestured to a seat and Jonathan took it cautiously. Normally being led to this room typically meant you were about to be accused of something that would get you locked in solitary for a while, though Jonathan hadn't been caught red handed for a while.

It wasn't until Monroe had closed the door behind the two guards that Jonathan noticed Bruce Wayne standing on the far side of the room. Jonathan grinned wolfishly, although he was hopelessly outnumbered he simply could not resist being a little menacing. "Mr. Wayne, what a splendid surprise... have you come to reconsider your most... _unfortunate_ decision regarding my parole?"

"That depends, Professor Crane," Bruce Wayne began. "Firstly on whether you are going to continue to refuse your meals, and secondly on whether you can do something for me and in return the people of Gotham."

"Fuck Gotham!" Jonathan snarled, gripping the wooden arms of his chair, one of the guards grabbed his shoulders and forced him back into the seat.

"I'll let that one slide, Professor. Once. Now are you going to listen to what I say, like the intelligent individual I know you are, or are you just going to let yourself down and wither away here for the rest of your days?" Wayne looked at him pointedly.

Reluctantly Jonathan relaxed. "Whatever," he sighed.

Wayne did not reply to that, instead he pulled an envelope out from under his his jacket. "Commissioner Gordon is looking for a person," he began. "This person is believed to be operating out of Gotham. The GCPD does not know if this person is male or female, their age, their intelligence, their race in fact they know nothing whatsoever. Countless psychologists have been asked to give a profile, all have failed. Professor Crane, deep down under that evil exterior is in my opinion one of the greatest psychologists that ever lived. I'm asking for your help Professor."

Wayne placed the envelope on the table in front of the villain. Jonathan's eyes darted left to right, he didn't look at the envelope. Surely this was a joke... it must be... some cruel, cruel joke, getting his hopes up... any minute now the joke would be on him... surely. He was shaking he could feel it, bile rose in his throat slightly... fear... no he no longer felt fear... this was anger... how dare they trick him like this... did they think he was stupid... no not this time... he wouldn't fall for it this time... inhuman bullies.

Before the guards could react Jonathan had leapt out of his seat and knocked the table over, sending the papers flying. Wayne dodged to one side avoiding Jonathan's flailing fist. "I'm not a fool!" Jonathan yelled. "It's bad enough wasting my life in here... without you giving me false hope like this? How could you! First you deny my parole, now you taunt me with what I could have been! Fuck you!"

He was being restrained now. Monroe looked at Wayne apologetically, as he prepared a hypodermic needle. "I warned you Mr. Wayne. He's a psychopath. There's no getting through to him, he's too far gone." He jabbed the snarling man in the side of the neck with the needle, and gradually Jonathan's thrashing eased off and he sagged against the guards, defeated. "You can't change him, Bruce. No one can."

The room swum before Jonathan's eyes, and as the sedative took him under and his anger faded he kicked himself mentally. "Oh, Jonathan you fool," he thought.


	4. Chapter 4

The chilling laugh echoed through the hallways of the abandoned factory, high in pitch and terrifying. Bart Allen shuddered, he'd faced Hell and come out the other side, but not even hell prepared one for the Joker.

The factory was almost pitch black, but the room the Joker appeared to be in had several flaming oil barrels inside, Bart could make out the silhouette of one of the Jokers hirelings warming his hands over the flames.

Pulling his mask back down over his face, Bart steeled himself. "Come on you're Kid Flash," he muttered to himself. "The fastest teen alive, it's not like they can catch me."

Effortlessly Bart channelled his speed and swept past the thug so quickly the flames barely rippled in response. The thug did not even react, Bart was moving so fast he was not visible to the naked eye.

Pausing in a shadowy corner, decorated with a stack of car engines, Bart crouched out of sight and took in the sight before him. The Joker was lounging in a makeshift throne made out of oil drums, and draped with tarpaulin and burlap to make it appear somewhat comfortable. To his left was another thug, armed with a rifle, and to his right Harley Quinn was draped over the oil drum the Joker was leaning on a sickeningly loving look on her face.

"Seriously lady, I applaud your choice in men," Bart scoffed under his breath.

The Joker appeared very relaxed, too relaxed for Bart's liking, after the Joker had been sighted recently with the Riddler, Robin had been convinced that the Joker was up to something, but despite Bart's week of lightning speed reconnaissance he had failed to identify any wrong doing at all.

"What's your game clown," Bart growled, narrowing his eyes at the clown prince of crime. "Where there's trouble your never far away... what did you tell the Riddler?"

There was nothing for it. All this smoke and mirrors business was getting Bart nowhere, and brute force was the only language this clown understood. Wishing himself luck Bart zipped into the centre of the room.

"Joker?" he shouted. "A word."

The clown shrieked with laughter and flipped around so that he was on the edge of his seat. "Baby Flash! Finally some entertainment!"

Harley Quinn pouted. Obviously she was not capable of holding the clown's attention, languidly she leaned on the hammer she had produced from behind the Joker's throne, not that it would have been much use against the juvenile speedster's powers.

The thug produced his rifle and trained it at Bart's head. "Shall I waste him, Boss?" he asked looking up at the Joker.

The clown waved his hand dismissively. "Please, you wouldn't even graze him. Let him speak." Joker grinned ferociously. "it might be a killer punchline."

"Hardly," Bart huffed. "A week ago you were sighted on the roof of a shopping complex with Edward Nigma. He seemed less than happy to see you... what was that all about?"

The Joker regarded Bart with a thoughtful expression, his long pale fingers stroked his chin. "Big Brother is watching, Harley my dear. The justice league seems to have an Orwellian streak. No matter, I can answer your question. In fact you're just the lad I'm looking for. I came to give our dear friend Eddie a message, and funnily enough I was told to give you one too. As for who it's from don't ask... I don't kiss and tell."

The Joker threw a package at Bart's feet, a card sat upon the top. The young speedster peeled the card from the top. A tarot card, not a Joker. "The magician..." Bart muttered, then looked down at the package.

The Joker was beginning to laugh again, Harley was joining in this time as well. Bart finally figured out what was so funny when the timer on the package counted down to two seconds remaining. Tapping into the speed force he dashed away as the Joker's venomous package split open, and the hired thugs began dropping like flies.

Bart ran so fast he was almost at Gotham's city limits when he paused for breath, despite their obvious expandability there never seemed to be a shortage of thugs for hire that flocked to the Joker.

"Fool's," Bart breathed. He looked down at the Tarot card again. "The magician... what could that mean?"

Edward Nigma supped on his bottle of beer, resting his feet on the crate of stolen watches he had lifted from the jewellery store. Batman hadn't bothered to solve his riddle, he had been overshadowed by the whole Green Lantern situation that was all over the news.

For any other criminal this would be a god send, but for Eddie the frustration was eating him alive. Moreover the death tarot card the Joker had given him was still staring at him from the pin board across the room from where Eddie had left it. It was taunting him... another riddle, someone was leaving him... of all people a riddle... it was torture.

Throwing his hat to the ground, Eddie ran his fingers through his hair. Ever since receiving the card Eddie's hair had become more unkempt from his constant tearing at it in persuit of an answer. "What could it be... what could it mean..." he muttered under his breath, rocking slightly in his chair. "I must know... noone has a mind such as mine... noone... NOONE!"

He punched the wall behind him with force, his knuckles split and he instantly regretted it. Sucking on the middle knuckle he stood up and paced back and forth up and down the room. "I must know..."

For Dinah Lance the card had come in the post. The handwriting on the address was almost an illegible scrawl, Dinah wondered how the postman had even known in was addressed to her, she certainly couldn't make it out.

The card was a little battered as well, but the image was unmistakeable. The judgement, and angel was blowing the judgement trumpet.

"Okay," Dinah murmured. "Just a little bit creepy."

"What is?" called a voice.

Dinah jumped and cursed when she saw Green Arrow perched on her windowsill. "Christ, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Ollie laughed. "Hey Pretty Bird... so what's creepy?"

Dinah handed him the card, Ollie frowned. "yeah that's creepy... any idea who wants to rain judgement down on Black Canary?"

"Yeah, loads of people, take your pick," Dinah rolled her eyes. She was a Bird of Prey, she had plenty of enemies, as did Ollie. "Any ideas?" she asked. "Or did you just come by to state the obvious."

"Far from it," said Ollie holding up a card of his own. "The hanged man... ominous or what?"

Barbara Gordon received hers with her morning newspaper, glued over the main headline, the disappearance of Oa.

Hers was the tower, any other day she would have paid it no mind, but Dinah had video messaged her last night to say that she and Ollie had received one each as well.

Barbara wasted no time in finding out what each one meant, and each was as ominous as the other. The tower meant changes, conflict and disruption in life... the end of a cycle. Barbara was not suspicious normally, but this was giving her chills.

Robin had told her that his fellow Teen Titan, Kid Flash had received one as well, and after reviewing the footage of the Joker and the Riddler many times over, she could clearly see now that Nigma had received one as well.

Bruce had scoffed at her. "He's just trying to scare you, this is the Joker all over. It's just one of his games Barbara... it's nothing to worry about."

Fortunately Barbara knew better than to take things at face value.


End file.
